Taxi and Private Hire Trade (2)

David Kurten: Should a taxi driver only engage the meter once a contract has been formed between the passenger and taxi driver for a taxi trip?

The Mayor: The engagement of the meter is regulated by the London Cab Order 1934 which provides that the meter cannot be started any sooner than the commencement of the hiring of the taxi.

Taxi and Private Hire Trade (3)

David Kurten: It unlawful for a taxi app to charge a fare which goes above the maximum displayed on the meter?

The Mayor: As highlighted in my answer to Mayor's Question 2019/19708, whilst Transport for London (TfL) regulates private hire operators, many of whom choose to offer app-based services, it does not regulate taxi app providers and to do so would require legislative change as there are no provisions within the current regulatory framework.
This was recognised by the Department for Transport’s Task and Finish Group on taxi and private hire licensing. In the Government’s response, it noted that it was not minded to bring taxi apps into the licensing regime.
TfL will take appropriate action if the driver takes or demands more than the proper fare.

Hopper fare

Caroline Russell: Could you provide a table showing the total number of bus journeys each financial year since 2011-12 and, for the years from 2016-17, including a column showing the total number of journeys made using the Hopper bus fare?

The Mayor: The Hopper fare allows unlimited free transfers between buses and/or trams within an hour. The table below shows the total number of bus and tram journeys and the number of Hopper journeys by financial year. The data for 2019/20 covers the period between 1st April 2019 and 12th October 2019.
Total Bus and Tram Journeys (Millions)
Financial Year
Hopper
Total
2011/12
2,320
2012/13
2,311
2013/14
2,557
2014/15
2,385
2015/16
2,314
2016/17
53
2,262
2017/18
120
2,247
2018/19
138
2,220
2019/20 (partial)
73
1,173

Dedicated rapid charging points for electric taxis

Caroline Pidgeon: Please set out what actions are being taken to ensure rapid charging points reserved for electric taxis are being solely used by taxis?

The Mayor: Taxi dedicated rapid charge points are clearly signed with road markings saying ‘taxi only’ as well as signs at eye level. The Metropolitan Police, community support officers and road traffic enforcement officers patrol the Red Route on a regular basis, and this activity is both routine and intelligence led. This provides high visibility deterrence as well as enforcing against contraventions. To date, 232 penalty charge notices have been issued for non-compliance in an electric vehicle (EV) bay. TfL is currently looking at the process of utilising CCTV enforcement for EV bays.

Bakerloo Line extension (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: In 2014 TfL released a consultation on the Bakerloo line extension which estimated the cost of the full extension from Elephant and Castle to Hayes as £2bn to 3bn and the preferred option as£3bn. This included both the tunnelled section from Elephant and Castle to Lewisham, as well as converting the National Rail line from Hayes to the standards of London Underground infrastructure. The new consultation document estimates the cost of an extension only from Elephant and Castle to Lewishamat£4.7bn to £7.9bn (in 2017 prices). Please set out the specific reasons why in such a short period of time there has been more than a doubling of the previous estimate for the entire extension to Hayes?

The Mayor: Since 2014 TfL has significantly developed the proposals for the Bakerloo line extension. Alongside an increase in the price base from 2014 to 2017, this development work has resulted in a more detailed understanding of key areas of the cost of the scheme such as a how the scheme would be built. Such developmentsaffect, for example, how long it will take to deliver the scheme – which has an impact on time related costs – and the extent of the land take requirements for both temporary and permanent needs.
Further, TfL now has a larger database of similar schemes containing current rates, against which the Bakerloo Line Extension can be benchmarked. This benchmarking has informed all of the new estimated costs.

Dial-a-Ride

Caroline Pidgeon: Concerns have been expressed that some of Dial-a-Ride VW Bluebird buses have had their front ramp removed leading to uncertainty as to how wheelchair users could be safely evacuated if the bus was hit in the rear by another vehicle. What assurances can TfL provide to drivers and passengers that this issue has been properly assessed?

The Mayor: Although a single vehicle exit is considered acceptable, and many assisted transport and community transport organisations have these for wheelchairs, Transport for London (TfL) prefers to have two exit points, and all Dial-a-Ride (DaR) vehicles are designed to provide this.
As with any mechanical part, the front bridge can occasionally fail, and when this happens, TfL makes repairs as rapidly as possible. A very small number of vehicles with faults relating to the front drawbridge have been kept in service in recent weeks. This was due to temporary vehicle shortages at two DaR depots due to the continuing vehicle replacement programme, which is updating the fleet to more modern, environmentally-friendly vehicles.
TfL has assured me that, should a collision occur at the rear of a bus and render the rear ramp unusable, there would be alternative means of evacuating a wheelchair user, which in extreme cases would be facilitated with the help of the emergency services. TfL also advises me that it has no record of there ever having been in an incident in which a passenger was unable to be taken off a DaR bus when necessary.

Expansion of 20 mph

Caroline Russell: Transport for London (TfL) has said, in response to its July 2019 20 mph consultation on safe speeds for central London, that it will bring forward speed reductions: “to some of the most high-risk areas in inner and outer London as part of the second phase.” Please list the locations of these high-risk areas and when each of them will be delivered.

The Mayor: On 6 September 2019, Transport for London (TfL) published the consultation report for 20mph speed limits in central London, and is focused on ensuring that this Phase one work is delivered to target by spring 2020. The consultation report reconfirmed TfL’s commitment to Phase 2 of the Lowering Speed Limits programme, including speed limit reductions in high-risk areas in inner and outer London. The areas referred to are outlined on pages 38-39 in TfL’s Vision Zero Action Plan (http://content.tfl.gov.uk/vision-zero-action-plan.pdf).
All roads in Phase 2 will have their speed limits lowered prior to May 2024, subject to public consultation and statutory processes. The first Phase 2 location will be delivered in spring 2020 on Edgware Road, between the Marylebone Flyover and Marble Arch.

Taxi and Private Hire Trade (1)

David Kurten: Does the Mayor agree that the hiring of a taxi happens when a contract has been formed between the passenger and a taxi driver for the procurement of the taxi transport?

The Mayor: The provision of taxi services in London is regulated by Transport for London. The specifics of when a hiring commences is a factual issue which will depend on the on the details of each case.

Bakerloo Line extension (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: TfL’s latest consultation on the extension of the Bakerloo line states that as part of any works to convert the Hayes line to London Underground operation it would involve making all stations fully step free, both within the stations and from street to train. Please state how many stations on the Hayes line south of Lewisham do not currently meet these standards and what is TfL’s estimate of the cost of making these access improvements?

The Mayor: All stations except Clock House and Eden Park on the Hayes Branch are step-free from platform to street level. Only Hayes, which has an island platform, provides step free access between platforms within the station. None of the stations provide step-free access from street to train.
TfL’s objective for step-free access from street to train would be achieved either by adjusting the track level, the platform level or by provision of platform humps. They would also expect to provide two step-free access lifts at all stations except for Hayes in order to provide platform to platform step-free access. Subject to further scheme development, they anticipate that it would cost £15 millionto £20 million per station in order to deliver this step-free access.
Further development of plans to convert the Hayes branch to London Underground operation, including proposals for step-free access, are subject to the outcome of the current public consultation.

Bus Routes serving Hospitals (2)

Keith Prince: How many bus routes serving hospitals have had their frequency reduced since May 2016?

The Mayor: The bus network is constantly changing to better match capacity to demand. Half of London’s 650 plus bus routes go within 150 metres of a hospital.Since 2016, annual operated mileage on these routes has reduced by five per cent, in the context of a reduction in annual passenger demand of almost seven per cent on these routes in the same time period. This change has been driven by 102 frequency reductions on these routes, alongside 56 capacity increases/extensions in the same time period.
After becoming Mayor, I asked Transport for London (TfL) to undertake a review of bus services to London’s hospitals, and this was updated in June 2019. More information can be found on page 251 here: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/csopp-20190613-public-agenda-and-papers.pdf.
Following this review, TfL has introduced a number of targeted improvements which have improved bus access to health services in London, including rerouteing route 5 to serve Queens Hospital in Romford. Further changes are due to be introduced or consulted on soon.

Crime against children

Susan Hall: For each of the years Nov 16 to Oct 17, Nov 17 to Oct 18 and Nov 18 to Oct 19, please can you provide many crimes have been committed against children? Please give a breakdown by crime type.

The Mayor: Please see the attached spreadsheet for the data requested.

National Register of Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licence Revocations and Refusals

Caroline Pidgeon: Following Question No:2017/4174 I am pleased to note that a national register of taxi and private hire vehicles licence revocations and refusals has been created and available since July 2018, commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA) and hosted by the National Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN). Has TfL signed up to the register, and if so when?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has been working with the Local Government Association (LGA) and the National Anti-Fraud Network to design and implement the database. TfL is currently undertaking testing of the IT solution with the intention of introducing it at the earliest opportunity.
In addition, I and TfL both support recommendation 24 of the Department for Transport-commissioned Task and Finish Group which calls for a national database of all licensed taxi and PHV drivers, vehicles and operators, to support stronger enforcement. The Government indicated in its response to the Task and Finish Group report that is was going to legislate to enable the creation of such a database.

RAIB Recommendations

Steve O'Connell: Please update the Assembly on what progress has been made in completing the 15 recommendations made by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch in the light of the Croydon Tram Crash.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has made significant progress to implement the recommendations from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch following the tragic overturning at Sandilands in November 2016. The vast majority, and some of the most vital, have been completed and the remaining are in the late stages of implementation.
TfL has begun the installation of the Physical Prevention of Over-speeding System on to the trams and it remains on target to be in operation by the end of the year.
Regular updates on progress towards the completion of the recommendations are published on TfL’s website via the following link:https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/trams/croydon-tram

London Transport Museum

Caroline Pidgeon: What oversight do you and the Commissioner of TfL have over the operation and management of the London Transport Museum? Are you satisfied that the museum operates in a proper way?

The Mayor: London Transport Museum (LTM) is a subsidiary company of Transport for London (TfL) with charity status. By way of oversight, three TfL nominees sit on the LTM board. The Museum’s annual report and accounts are subject to TfL Internal Audit and external audit by Kingston Smith. The Museum is up to date in depositing annual reports with both Companies House and the Charity Commission and maintains accredited museum status with Arts Council England. All quarterly board reports are sent to TfL and subject to legal, financial and reputational scrutiny in advance of publication to trustees.
I am satisfied that LTM operates in a proper way. The Museum attracts over 400,000 visitors a year to its Covent Garden, Acton and Hidden London sites. The educational outreach programme reaches 130,000 children in every London borough. The TfL heritage collections are designated of national significance and are accessible at the Acton Depot and the website receives over 1m hits a year.

Surface access at Heathrow

Caroline Russell: Further to my question 2016/4135, what is Transport for London's latest estimate of the surface access costs of an expanded Heathrow Airport? Please provide a total estimate and a cost breakdown.

The Mayor: Since the previous question was submitted, Transport for London (TfL) has not sought to update its estimates for the total surface access costs of Heathrow expansion. At the time these were reported as £15bn, of which £8.5bn for rail and £6.5bn for road.
TfL’s efforts have been focused on highlighting its fundamental concerns about the surface access proposals. Both Government and Heathrow Airport Limited have been unwilling to accept that Western Rail Access and Southern Rail Access are essential if Heathrow Expansion is to secure sustainable mode shift and have any chance of addressing the severe congestion and air pollution impacts of the proposals.

20 mph speed limit for Tollington Road

Caroline Russell: Local residents are concerned at the speeds of vehicles on Tollington Road in Islington, including buses. Transport for London (TfL) has responded to the recent 20 mph consultation on safe speeds for central London, saying it will bring forward speed reductions: “to some of the most high-risk areas in inner and outer London as part of the second phase.” Given this commitment, when will you implement a 20 mph speed limit on Tollington Road?

The Mayor: As set out in Transport for London’s (TfL) Vision Zero Action Plan (http://content.tfl.gov.uk/vision-zero-action-plan.pdf), TfL is committed to reducing speeds across its road network. It is working towards lowering the speed limit to 20mph within central London first, before addressing other areas, including Tollington Road, by 2024 as part of the second phase.
To ensure speed limit changes can be delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible, TfL is looking to coordinate them with other projects where possible, so that lower speeds are considered as part of the wider design. On this basis, Tollington Road is being considered as part of the Cycle Future Route 2 scheme – on which TfL currently expects to consult next year.

Advertising on the Docklands Light Railway

Caroline Pidgeon: Please state what revenue has been raised by advertising on the DLR network for each year since 2016 and what are TfL’s plans to ensure an increased source of income from advertising?

The Mayor: The revenue that has been raised by Transport for London (TfL) from advertising on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) for each year since 2016 is:
By early 2020 TfL will have completed the roll out of their new digital advertising infrastructure which is focussed on both protecting and increasing their advertising revenue.